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Hit parade: Red Sox pound 18 hits in 11-2 rout of Twins

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Perhaps it was an indication they finally are hitting their stride. Or maybe they merely are preying on weaklings in a three-week portion of the schedule that figures to be favorable. Regardless, the Red Sox knocked out 18 hits in an 11-2 beating of the struggling Minnesota Twins tonight and won back-to-back games for the first time since a modest three-game streak April 13-15.

Unlike last night’s nail-biter, when Minnesota’s Trevor Plouffe missed a game-winning homer by only a few feet in the ninth inning and prompted manager Bobby Valentine to walk to the mound and ask closer Alfredo Aceves if he was trying to give everyone a coronary, the outcome never was seriously in doubt.

The Red Sox jumped Twins starter Nick Blackburn for three first-inning runs, then kept adding on. David Ortiz continued his scorching start by blasting a two-run home run to the upper deck in right field in the third inning. In the fourth, Mike Aviles added a solo shot, the second of his four hits. Aviles, Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez each notched RBI doubles in the fifth.

Even starter Josh Beckett joined in the party. After grinding out a 37-pitch first inning in which he allowed a run and left the bases loaded, he needed only 63 pitches to breeze through the next five innings before passing a cushy eight-run lead to reliever Scott Atchison in the seventh.

Each of the Red Sox’ starters, save left fielder Cody Ross, had at least one hit, but Ross could be excused. After all, he launched game-tying and go-ahead homers in the 6-5 series-opening win last night.

By the middle innings, the Red Sox were in cruise control. And when Valentine began to empty his bench in the eighth, utility infielder Nick Punto received a warmer ovation from the remaining fans at Target Field than any member of the home team. Punto spent seven seasons with the Twins and was a popular player on four division-winning clubs.

Indeed, it was an all-around feel-good night for the Red Sox, desperate for something to feel good about after ruining Fenway Park’s 100th anniversary festivities last week by dropping five consecutive games at home.

Struggling right-hander Clay Buchholz will take the mound tomorrow night in search of the Red Sox’ first sweep last July 22-24 in Seattle. But by winning the first two games against the Twins, they improved their record to 6-10 with the unimposing Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Indians and Seattle Mariners looming on the schedule through mid-May.